The Star Maiden's Magic

            

A Bushman tale is as thus:

Star Maidens came from the heavens to milk the cows for a struggling farmer at night and returned by morning to the heavens. The farmer stopped the last Star Maiden to climb the ladder back to heaven and asked her to be his wife. She agreed on one condition. She asked the farmer to promise never to open a basket that she would place in the corner of the room because then she would have to leave. He agreed, she placed her basket in the corner and their life together began.

The farmer prospered with the hard work of the Star Maiden, and his land produced in abundance. 

Years later while the Star Maiden was away from home the farmer was looking for something. Despite remembering the Star Maiden’s admonition and his promise, on a whim he opened the basket. It was empty. He got a good laugh.

When the Star Maiden returned home she knew what had happened. With sorrow in her voice she told the farmer that she would have to leave, not because he opened the basket and broke his promise, but because, upon looking into her most precious possession, he found nothing there.

When night came, the Star Maiden took her basket and sadly climbed the ladder back to the heavens, carrying with her magic the farmer could not see.